According to the fact sheet, the HK 417 will be available with 12, 16, and 20-inch cold-hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrels, and all barrels will feature a 1:11-inch twist rate. All barrels will be threaded for silencers/sound suppressors, flash hiders (flash suppressors) and muzzle compensators. HK Defense Inc. claims that barrel life will "easily exceed 15,000-20,000 rounds with little or no accuracy degredation."

The HK417 fact sheet states that during a desert firing test, an HK417 prototype (2nd design stage) fired more than 15,000 rounds of assorted 7.62x51mm/.308 Win. ammo, including M118LR, M80 ball, M993 AP and a variety of commercial ammo with bullet weights ranging from 125 grains to over 175 grains "without a single parts failure or stoppage. The document also claims that during an accuracy test, an HK417 carbine in "assaulter" configuration (12" barrel) averaged 1.3 MOA between four shooters firing multiple 5-shot groups at ranges between 100-500 yards.

HK Defense’s design goal for the HK 417 is "to guarantee" no parts failures or stoppages in less than 15,000 rounds with a goal to exceed 20,000 rounds."

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.